1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of artificial fingernails. More specifically, the invention relates to covers for artificial fingernails and methods for covering an artificial fingernail.
2. Background Art
Artificial fingernails and other fingernail ornamentation is widely used in the modern world. There are a variety of reasons for which a person may choose to wear artificial fingernails or other fingernail ornamentation, such as fingernail polish. However, chief among the variety of reasons is to improve the aesthetic appearance of one's hands. Many people go to great lengths and expense to obtain a neatly manicured appearance for their fingernails. Although it is possible to manicure and trim natural fingernails, some people suffer from nails that are too thin or too brittle to consistently maintain an attractive appearance. Also, still other people have fingernails that may be permanently damaged, deformed, or discolored, such that conventional manicuring does not achieve the desired appearance. Accordingly, such people, as well as others, turn to applying artificial fingernails to their natural fingernails.
By applying artificial fingernails to natural fingernails, there is generally little worry regarding the thickness, brittleness, deformities, or discoloration of the natural fingernails. Numerous artificial fingernails exist for consumers to select from a wide variety shapes, colors, materials, and textures. Also, it is well known among many people how to apply their own artificial fingernails. Even so, professional manicurists and other individuals trained in applying artificial fingernails exist to assist those who lack the expertise or time to apply their own artificial fingernails. Unfortunately, routine visits to such professionals may be required every couple of weeks or so to maintain the desired appearance of even artificial fingernails. These routine visits are most often needed because the natural fingernail to which the artificial fingernail is adhered continues to grow after the artificial fingernail is applied. Thus, because the artificial fingernail is adhered to the surface of the natural fingernail, a gap typically develops between the artificial fingernail and cuticle of the natural fingernail as the natural fingernail grows out. The gap is typically considered to detract from the appearance of quality artificial fingernails.
One conventional method used to remedy the unsightly gap thus formed involves applying an adhesive to the natural fingernail where exposed through the newly formed gap. While the adhesive is still wet, the natural fingernail is dipped into a fine powder designed to partially fill the gap. A new coating of adhesive is applied to the powder that sticks to the first coat of adhesive and dipping in powder is repeated. This method, though tedious, successfully thickens the fill material in the gap. Once the gap is sufficiently filled using the repetitive process, the gap filler may be filed smooth and nail polish applied to conceal the presence of the gap filler. Thus, it is a problem with the current technology that the gap filler may of itself create an unsightly appearance and require routine applications of nail polish to conceal the gap filler.
Often, filling of a gap by such method and application of nail polish will require frequent routine visits to a nail professional such as those described above. Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a way to fill gaps that form as artificial nails grow out in a simple manner that does not require a visit to a nail professional. There is also a need to provide a way to maintain an attractive appearance of the artificial nails without requiring application of nail polish.